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Ernest D. Davis, Sr.
ERNEST D. DAVIS, SR., MAJOR
USAF (RET.), born 18 August 1921 in New
York City, attended Cornell University and
Pratt Institute for two years before attempting to enter the Aviation Cadet program in
1940. Unable to pass the rigid visual acuity
test, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in
September and a year later applied for the
Aviation Student Pilot Program.
After Pearl Harbor, he was transferred
from Keesler Field to Miami Beach, where he
was a member of the cadre for the Officer
Candidate School and was acting First Sergeant of a Sq. until April 1942 when he
received orders for Flight Training and
entered class 42-K at Kelly Field, graduating
as a Flight Officer in December 1942. Initial
combat training was at Barksdale Field.
He flew a B-26 across the South Atlantic
route to join his Sq. in the ETO and after
completing 50 missions and 181 hrs., he was
reassigned to Lake Charles, La., flying the
first models of the A-26 Invader. He later was
assigned to New Castle, Del., where he flew
the P-38, P-51 and A-26. Assignments in
Brazil, Texas and Louisiana led to his transfer
to the 36th Ftr. Wg. at Furstenfeldbruck,
Gy., where he received his Senior Pilot rating
as a 1st Lt. and was upgraded to P-80 and
P-84 jets which he flew for 3 1/2 yrs.
1952 brought assignment to the 1738th
Ferry Sq. in Long Beach, Calif. where he
again flew P-47s delivering them to the
Caribbean Island Nations and South America. He then flew F-86 and F-100 jets and was
assigned as Det. Comm. at North American
Aviation. During this period he delivered jet
fighters across the North Atlantic on "High
Flights" where, as Mission Commander for
10 missions, he received an Air Medal. Transferring in 1957 to Osan AFB Korea, he was
an Operations Officer with the 311th Ftr.
Sq. where he was awarded his Command Pilot
Rating. Returning to Andrews AFB, he
served until his retirement as a Major in
1963.
During his military career he flew nearly
5,000 hrs. with over 1,000 hrs. in the P-47.
His awards include the Distinguished Flying
Cross w /1 cluster, the Purple Heart and the
Air Medal w /9 clusters.
After retirement he wrote "The Eagle is
Dead" published in 1977. He received his BS
from University of Maryland and is a charter
member and Past President of the South Dade
Chapter of The Retired Officers Assoc., a
member and officer of the Order of
Daedalians, Military Order of World Wars
and the P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Assoc. He
was married in 1943 to the former Maida
Stickler of Miami and has four children, 8
grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.
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Pilot Name
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Biography Summary
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John Abbotts
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P-47 transition followed at Pocatello, Idaho and Greenville, Texas after which he was assigned to the 56th Fighter Group in England. When the news of his arrival reached Berlin, Hitler retired to his bunker with his cyanide capsule and revolver. Eva found the news equally depressing.
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Asa A. Adair
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He returned to the States in August of 1944 after participating in the invasion "D" Day. He flew P-63's, P-51's, F-80's, T-33's, F-84's, T-38's, P-47's in numerous assignments during the following twenty years in in, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe before retiring after twenty-six years of Active Duty.
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Edward B. Addison
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The 507th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47N's, won the Presidential Unit Citation for destroying 32 Japanese aircraft in the air on one mission to Seoul, Korea. The average flying time for raids to Korea and Japan would be 7 to 9 hours flying time. In a total of 31 months, the 507th not only provided top cover for B-29's, but also
dive-bombed, napalm-bombed and flew low-level on strafing missions.
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Levon B. Agha-Zarian
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It is rumored that he, took his primary training on a flying rug. He flew Spits, briefly, in England, but as the, war moved to the East, he was sent to India as a Sgt. Pilot and first saw action from Ceylon, flying the Curtiss P.36, the Brewster Buffalo, and the Hurricane. At this point he might have opted for the rug! This was at the time of the fall of Singapore and the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
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George N. Ahles
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Posted to A-20 light bomber squadron Barksdale Field, Louisiana. . Group moved to Hunter Air Base Savannah, Georgia. Qualified for Pilot training November 1940. Entered Aviation Cadets January 1942. Presented wings November 1942 class of 42-J. Married Mary Louise while in Advanced Pilot Training at Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama, September 1942.
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Roy J. Aldritt
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Shortly after the group moved to France he ran into some unseen flak and was forced to make a nylon descent behind the lines; some evasion and a lot of luck had him back with his unit
in 24 hours.
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Eugene J. Amaral
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After graduation from Stonington High School he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in December 1942 and was called to active duty in March, 1943. He received his wings and commission at Spence Field, Georgia as a member of the Class of 43-C.
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Talmadge L. Ambrose
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Flew 84 missions thru VE Day, was downed by 22mm ground fire over Siefried Line. He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft, 9 known confirmed in air and on
ground, including 4 FW 190-D's in one afternoon over Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 17 man, Oak Leaf Clusters, Good Conduct Medal, Pacific Theatre and European Theatre Meda1s with 5 Battle
Stars and Unit Citation Medal.
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John C. Anderson
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After P-47 transition he was assigned to the 406th Fighter Group, 512th Fighter Squadron. (E.T
.0.) He flew 56 missions through January, 1945 destroying supply routes, bridges, and railroads; he also flew close support missions with the ground forces, with attacks on tanks, artillery and enemy positions.
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William Anderson
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It was not always flak,two ME-109's beat the hell out of me one day. The central controller called me and said "Basher-Red Leader do you have contact Bandits," I replied, "I sure do, I'll bring them over the field in 3 minutes, they're chasing me home." Got all the usual medals including two Belgium and two French but one I'm most proud of is the Silver Star -it is the greatest.
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